House detains Batangas Mayor Dolor for snubbing panel
MANILA, Philippines — A Batangas mayor facing a contempt citation before a House panel is now detained at the Batasang Pambansa after he snubbed a congressional inquiry into the alleged irregularities surrounding the operations of his town’s waterworks system.
Bauan Mayor Ryanh Dolor was taken into custody upon his arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 from Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday night, according to House sergeant-at-arms, retired Maj. Gen. Napoleon Taas.
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The 45-year-old Dolor was ordered detained by the House committee on public accounts headed by Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Paduano on March 17 for snubbing its hearings on the privatization of the Bauan Waterworks System (BWS).
The inquiry was based on a December 2024 resolution questioning the supposed irregularities in the local government’s transactions with Aquadata, the company that won the contract for the privatization of BWS in 2008.
The House resolution cited a Commission on Audit report, which said that the privatization “resulted in a grossly disadvantageous revenue-sharing arrangement granting Aquadata 95 percent of net revenues while the municipality retained only 5 percent and led to substantial financial losses for the local government.”
Holdover agreement
Despite this, Bauan town under Dolor’s term entered into a holdover agreement with the company, allegedly prolonging losses even after the termination of the contract between the parties.
Apart from Dolor, also ordered detained were Aquadata president Joseph Yu and vice president Jonathan Yu.
The panel said it had issued three invitations, a show-cause order, and a subpoena before taking action.
Supposedly, Dolor submitted a travel authority signed by Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas that allowed him to travel to the United States from March 11 to March 26 for medical reasons. The panel members, however, rejected the excuse as he did not present medical records or specific justifications.
Dolor will remain under the custody of the House until the termination of the committee’s hearings, as ordered by the panel.
